Safety railroad draw-bridge



W. & J. K. GAMBLE. SAFETY RAILROAD DRAWBRIDGE.

Patented July 17, 1-855.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

J. K. GAMBLE AND V. P: GAMBLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY RAILROAD DRAV-BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,258, dated July 17-, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN K. GAMBLE and VH. P. GAMBLE, both of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad Draw-Bridges; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan or top View of a draw bridge, construct-ed after our plan, partly open. This view shows the main track and branch tracks, also the switch rails for connecting one with the other. In this view the main track is shown connected with the branch inclined tracks by the switch rails. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3, is a vertical transverse section of the same through the line as, 00, in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railroad draw bridges, whereby the very serious accidents now commonly occurring through carelessness or inattention on the part of engineers and others in not exhibiting a proper signal simultaneous with the opening of the draw can be avoided.

The nature of our invention consists in a novel manner (hereinafter described) of combining and arranging theswitch rail and inclined sideliug with the draw bridge, whereby the switch rails can be unlocked and moved in connection with the inclined sideling and locked simultaneous with the slightest opening of the draw and again unlocked and thrown in connection with the main tracks and locked simultaneous with the closing of the draw, or at the moment it is entirely closed. This combination and arrangement of contrivances it must be evident renders the draw bridge perfectly safe,

as no contingencies whatever are left and.

the safety of travelers does not depend upon the sobriety and carefulness of the attendants at the bridge, or the discreetness or at tention of the engineer; said arrangement being in every respect self adjusting simultaneous with the operating of the bridge, and the inclined sideling, which forms an inclined plane of at least one hundred yards, serving for the train to travel upon when the bridge is open and thus save it from passing into the river.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention we will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, B, represent the main tracks passing over the bridge in the ordinary way, or as shown in the drawing.

C, C, designate the switch rails one on each side of the river, at about one hundred and fifty yards from either end of the bridge as shown in the drawing.

D, D, are the safety inclined branch tracks with which the switches C, C, connect when the draw is opened.

The switch bar E, has a notch a, cut in its top, in which notch a shifting arm I), fits as shown in Fig. 1, the said arm being secured in a revolving vertical shaft 0. (Z, is another similar arm to that 79, secured in the same shaft and in the same horizontal line. F, is the bolt for locking the switch bar permanently for a given time; this bolt is made quite broad at its center so as to admit of a slot 6 being cut in it, in which slot the shaft 0, plays as the bolt is locked or unlocked.

On the outer end of this bolt a cam f, is secured'; this cam is of the form shown in Fig. 1, and serves to draw the bolt out of its connection with the switch bar either when the switch is in line with the branch track or the main track.

9, is a spiral spring for throwing the bolt into connection with the switch bar at the time required; this spring is on the extreme end of the bolt.

72-, is a chain wheel on the shaft 0, and. 2', is a chain or band passing around the same and connecting it with the chain wheel j, on the vertical shaft is, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. On the shaft 70, a cog wheel Z,'is secured fast: this cog wheel turns with the shaft 70, and is operated by the rack m, secured on the bottom of the draw as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. This cog wheel and the rack bar are so situated that they do not operate until the draw is nearly closed, or as it just commences to open. As the arrangement described for locking, unlocking and operating the switch,

rail is precisely similar to that on the other end of the bridge we do not deem it necessary to refer to both but to simply remark that both switches are operated at the same time and by the same movement of the draw.

G is the draw which is moved horizontally back and forth over the friction roll ers n, n, n, and under the swinging portion H, as seen in Fig. 2. As the draw is opened gradually and forced under the parts H, the levers I, I, are made to lift the said part H, in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the loose ends of the levers being caused to move upon inclined ways J, J, attached to the draw G, and consequently to lift the a swinging portion sufficiently high to allow the draw to pass under. This draw is moved back and forth by the cogged gearing K, M, which works in the rack L, on the draw. It should be not-iced that as the draw G, is opened it does not at first lift the part H, but moves under the hinged portion H and after the switches have been shifted to the branch track then it commences to lift the part H. The object in this is that the draw shall not be opened but the slightest distance before the switches are changed. As the draw Gr, closes the swinging part H, H, also descends and occupies its proper position, for as the inclined ways J, J, are moved from toward the lifting levers the said levers are caused to descend the inclines and allow the draw H, to occupy its proper poi sition, thus all the parts are rendered capable of self adjustment.

The operation is as follows: By turning. the crank 0, the cog gearing will be set in operation when the draw-will commence to move horizontally and to open gradually. As soon as the draw commences to move the 1 teeth of the rack m, will take into the cog 1 wheel Z, and cause it and the shaft 7a, to turn and give motion to the band or chain 2', and to the wheel h, and shaft 0. As soon as the shaft 0, commences to turn the shifting arm b, and that (Z, are operated, the arm cl being made to turn slightly and bear rigidly against the cam f, which is secured fast on the bolt F, and compress the spiral spring g, i and force the cam outward sufiiciently far to draw the bolt from its connection with the switch bar. As the bolt is withdrawn from one of the two holes 8 t in the switch bar, the arm 5, is made to bear on the side of the notch 64, in the switch bar and force the said bar to another position and cause it I to throw the switch rail in connection with the branch track; as soon as this takes place the arm d, escapes by the cam f, and the bolt .is again forced by the spring into the other hole 25, in the switch bar and made to lock the switch permanently for a given time. To shift the switches from the main to the branch track the draw is opened but very slightly. After the switches are thrown in connection with the branch track the draw may be opened its full width without the least danger of the cars running into the water as they will pass up the inclined branch track when they reach the point where the switch is employed and then descend again and remain stationary until the draw is closed. To close the draw the crank is turned in a contrary direction. As the draw closes the swinging part H, H, will gradually descend, and when the draw is nearly closed the rack m, will strike the cog wheel Z, and cause it and the shaft k, to turn and to give motion to the chain and to the shaft 0; which causes-the bolt to be withdrawn and the switch to be moved in line with the main track; as soon as this takes place the bolt -again locks the switch and keeps it permanently fixed as long as desired and the cars are permitted to proceed on their journey.

There may be proper signals on each side of the switches which may be operated simultaneous with the opening and closing of the draw;

This apparatus may be employed with the same result on draws which have an upright movement, and also those which turn on a center by simply altering the position and shape of the parts to correspond with the different movements given to the draws.

Having thus fully described the nature and operation of our invention we will now proceed to state what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The contrivances herein described or their equivalents, so arranged and combined as to constitute a safety rail road draw bridge, substantially as set forth.

' JOHN K. GAMBLE.

W. P. GAMBLE.

Witnesses GEORGE EROTY, WM, HOSKIN 

